The E CITY graduates have done it again! Impressing each and every one of the nearly 150 guests who attended the third E CITYwide Business Plan Competition held on July 31, 2008, at Trinity Commons. E CITY extends their congratulations to the four finalists who competed in the final round of the competition. Coming in first place and winning $1,000 in business capital were twins Naomi and Noemi Romero of John Hay Campus. The Romero twins run their business Cosfurs which manufactures customized mascots and fur suits. Jovan Mason of Ginn Academy came in second place and won $750 toward his lawn care business. In third place, winning $500 toward her pizza sub business, was Kyrstin Gibson of Cleveland School of the Arts. Brittany DuPerow of Horizon Science Academy came in fourth place and won $250 for her pet walking and sitting services.

E CITYwide winners with judges and Sanjay and Mala Garg of the Swaminathan and Garg Foundation

 Congratulations to the other three finalists who participated in the preliminary rounds of competition: Isiah Brown of Ginn Academy, Chiffon Graves of East Technical High School and De’Lon Mallory of John F. Kennedy High School.

All of the student presenters completed one of the eight E CITY youth entrepreneurship programs offered in Cleveland schools during spring 2008. Each was named as one of the winners of the competitions held within his or her class, and was therefore qualified to compete for business capital generously provided by the Swaminathan and Garg Foundation.

E CITY thanks its certified entrepreneurship teachers, apprentices, volunteers, and the many community supporters for making this event possible. We would also like to thank the following judges who volunteered their time and talent to review business plans, listen to the student presentations and provide our students with constructive feedback:

Preliminary Judges: Mike Burke, John Campanelli, Ramadesikan Gandarvakottai, Tiffany Henderson, Bill Koeblitz, Bill Leahy, Marcia Pledger, Robert Schoenberger and Steve Thompson.

Final Judges: Jim Brady, Dr. Ellen Burts-Cooper, Mala Garg, Constance Hill-Johnson, Sonni Senkfor and Gloria Ware.

Special thanks go to our guest speaker, Collette Appolito, President of the Presidents' Council and Executive Director of the Presidents' Council Foundation and to our Master of Ceremonies, E CITY alumnus Demetrius Forte, Jr.

We also want to thank the approximately 15 E CITY alumni who displayed their businesses and sold products such as duct tape wallets, jewelry, lemonade, candy baskets, t-shirts, purses and more to event attendees.